Case Mod Condensation

[Xye]

I am new to these forums so please be kind.

I like computers and have completed a couple of different cases for them. I love to make things though rarely have the time or money

I have just discovered these forums and thought I would show you guys what I am capable of.

This was originally going to be my entry to a case mod competition, but I ran out of time. maybe due to the fact i was being a bit over ambitious. Never mind better to get it done right, as opposed to right Now.

I have always liked small stuff but never liked having the performance drop that seems to come with it. So my general idea was to take and mATX case and adapt it to fit a standard ATX board. I mean how hard can it be? (famous last words there)

Other planned mods:

• Fan grill removal
• Window enlargement
• Window etching
• Paint (inside and out)
• Water cooling

All this in an mATX box?

Oh yes sorry i forgot to metion, the radiator is going to fold out of the box too... (maybe)

So without further ado lets move on to the unsuspecting victim:
The case:

Front

Side

Top

Back

Without panels



Let the fun begin.

Planning:

Hardware:
Keeping it simple so there is hopefully more room in the box.

• Asus P5N-D (so i can go Sli)
• E8500 (i like to play)
• Shiney OCZ RAM (shiney as in looks shiney :P)
• 8800GTS (one for now)

Water Werks:

• XSPC X2O 400 Pump and Reservoir (pump + reservoir all in one)
• Alphacool NexXxos Xtreme II Rev2 Double Radiator
• EK Supreme Clear Top
• XSPC Full Cover 8800GT/GTS
• Alphacool compresion fittings for 10/8 tubing

Modding List:
I always knew this was going to be tight as the radiator is 280mm wide and the case is 284mm wide.... so getting it to fit is going to be... intresting to say the least.
To fit the ATX board inside the case it will have to be mounted sideways so the cables come out of the side of the box as opposed to the back, means moddifying the side panel which is no biggy really. Although if anyone has a template of an I/O plate with the expansion slots please drop me a PM as i would like to get it right.
HDD mounting? not normally an issue but since when was this ever going to be normal? the reason this crops up is because where the HDD normally mounts there is going to be a radiator there, so i have juryrigged it so that it is attached to one of the case fans. (pics will follow in a few days) needless to say its out of the way now.
Windows. I am thinking about etching Pinstripes into the corners of the windows and lighting them so they light up. (very Technical explaination there I know)
And more moddifying that needs to be done as it crops up.

Ive probably forgotten something but nevermind, thats why theres an edit button there :P

GPU waterblock fitting:

[Xye]

So straight into it:

Motherboard mounts


Spaced Just enough with Fiber washers so it doesn't touch


Remember this?


Well now it looks like this:


But wait doesn that not mean the HDD is right next to the PSU?

Erm, well yes



I spy with my.... yeah Thats where the original motherboard tray went so I cut a piece of Polystrene Sheet i have and you can see the Waterblock on the GPU quite nicely

About that GPU though. The part where the inlet and outlet points are interferes with the PSU so I had to modify the PSU Slightly (Can you spot it?)




And Finally back to the motherboard and the mounting of the I/O Panel, It took abit of Shimmying and some words were said but It fits and is something that could almost be called Straight :eek:



Anyway thats all for now, Hope it was worth the wait and all. Still Lots to be done though.

[Xye]

Right just a small update, as this wasn't originally planned in the beginning but looking at the Case Frame its bending alot, with all the extra stuff that has been put in and all the structural parts of the case ive had to remove to fit it all in.

The original feet are just small round things with abit of padding on, not giving much support. Ive made a Big Foot that is slightly inset from the edge of the case.

Cutting Wood:


Clamped together Gluing:


Hummm maybe not my greatest work ever:


But i will be painting it black

[Xye]

Hi, Thanks for sticking with this, I know its been a while since the last update but I've been busy working . Some good news and some bad news: Bad news for those of you looking forward to seeing a moving radiator, It shall not be happening. While i did have it working (ish) it was unreliable and was painfully slow and so has been abandoned. Good news though, now that i don't have to worry about moving parts i have actually been able to do stuff.

Anyway I know your not really here to read my Waffle Lets move on to PIC'S shall we?

Mounting the HDD
Parts:


Holes for Mounting:


Mounted:


Hummm:


Mounted and cut to look aesthetically pleasing (finally):



Radiator Mounting
Parts:


Mocking up position:


Semi Mounted:


Testing for mounting Holes:


Mounted (unfortuantely at the same time as the CD drive...):


Still to be done:

• Finalise the mounting of the Pump
• Fit top case panel
• Cut out I/O extension slots
• Finishing (paint etc)

SO yes still lots to be done but the end is within sight. Hope you enjoyed this update.

[Xye]

Today i mostly focused on the Panels. I got the tricky one done and all the Expansion slots are cut out with no breakages thankfully. The top panel has been modified to allow the Radiator room to Breath and the Polystrene sheet has been cut so it fill the gap.

Hope you enjoy the small update

Holes drilled ready to be cut out


One done six more to go...


Done (was very worried about this as its abit thin in places)


Fitted with GPU in:


Top panel Marked for Cutting:


Finally starting to look half decent now:


Im pleased with how this is shaping up, its been a long time in the making is all.

Jobs for tomorrow:
Get the Back panel cut and window fitted.
Sort out pump Mount

and if i have time:
Placement and wiring of LED's
and Airflow for the front of the case....

Still lots to do so stay tuned.

[Xye]

update:

I have Finished the Panels so all that now needs to be done with them is sanding ready for paint ( The old stuff is just peeling off so they really do need some new paint). And i have also Mounted the pump, although im not too sure on this, but i can't think of any other way, so i hope this will suffice.

On with the Pics:

Panel marked and ready to be cut:


Cutting:


Window In:


Pump Mount
Drilling:


So i can do this:


Final mounting position:




And thats it. Not much to show for a days work but thats the way it goes I guess .

[Xye]

Another Update. I would like to say there has been alot of progress... But there hasn't . Today I Stealthed the CD drive and made a blank plate for to space above that, and Have cut the Tubing to length for the Plumbing.

Im Getting very nervous about this Whole water Business. I mean the Tubing (as you will see) is not very flexible and Routing has been a Mare, and I just hope i am able to get the compression fitting tightened down without damaging anything, And as for leak testing Im not sure How Im going to do that... I may have to leave everything in as its all so tight.

Anyway enough of my worries and concerns. on with the PIC's:

Pump and PSU mounted:



Naked:


Plumbing:
Front View:

Back:


This is where it all gets intresting...


Stealthing the Drive:
Blocks to space it from the Drive:


View Inside:


Front finished (with Blank Panel):


Thoughts:
Alot of work still to be done, but other than that it looks quite good just need to decide where Im going to etch things on the windows and what it is that im going to etch.

Still to be done:

• Finishing with Polyfiller on wood panel and front.
• Fit Stealth drive better (front cover too tight atm)
• Decide upon Position of LED's
• Measure LED's For Holes
• Wire LED's
• Etch Plastic
• Sand old paint off Aluminium
• Prep and paint
• Plumb up Water cooling system
• Leak test (dunno how yet)
• Switch on.

[Xye]

Right what some of you have been waiting for. The etching of the windows. Thus far i have only completed one It took so long I was surprised. But then its no the kind of thing i wanted to mess up so i took my time.

This is the stencil i Used (paper reinforced with Several layers of sellotape on both sides):


To ensure it didn't wander during the initial outlining it was taped to the surface:


The initial outline done:


I used a compass to scratch up the surface being careful not to go outside the lines:


And what you have all been waiting for. What it looks like when its lit up:

[Xye]

I have Made much progress since the last post. But instead of the usual Waffle I shall let the pics do the talking:

The frame:


And everything that Somehow fits inside it:


The Paint:


All Primed:


First Coat of Gloss for the outer Panels and second Matt for the Frame:


Paint outside at night Drying (finished matt Paint still have to finish Gloss on Panels):


All Plumbed Up and ready for Filling:



Coolant Mixing:


Carefully calibrated Mesuring container:


Filled and testing for leaks:


Woo No leaks In with the Hardware:


Hummm Unmoving Bubbles(advice appreciated as ive tried tilting them around and they just won't move although I can't really move them that far due to stiff Tubing):



And a Dark Pic just to finish off as A couple of LED's came with the Pump and GPU card so i thought id put them in and take a look:


Still to be done:

• Finish Painting Side panels.
• Mount LED's
• Wire LED's
• Power UP!

I have actually finished etching the other Side panel but no pics of that im afraid

[Xye]

Anyway Small update. It has all be plumbed and now wired so ive had it running! and im very pleased to say it works




In other news:
Getting quite High Idle temps from this E8500 (39c Using Real temp VID 1.2125) but then i suppose it is to be expected using a 240 rad to cool cpu and GPU.

Paint: having a few problems with the Gloss Coat for the outer panels of the case seem to have developed some Wrinkles... considering painting them matt to match the inside... i dunno yet, i shall try again on thursday to sand out the imperfections and respray if that doesn't work then Plan B it is

[Xye]

Pictures of the case in the daylight:







Ready to go?


Lit up:

[Xye]

What you all really want I know :P







Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed this worklog.

[Marcos_Viegas]

Nice job man!!!

[Mankz]

Love the idea of an ATX board in an mATX chassis.

[danielleil]

Outstanding, nice work - +1 rep

[mansueto]

Think it looks really nice and small builds are always interesting! Do you have any plans for a grill to cover that rad or just going to leave it as is?

[Kyndylan]

Looks really great! Well done!

While I'm not sure I'd ever want a SFF case, I do like seeing people modding/building them - I think it's just watching people squeeze all that hardware in!

[Xye]

Thanks guys

Originally Posted by mansueto

Think it looks really nice and small builds are always interesting! Do you have any plans for a grill to cover that rad or just going to leave it as is?

I plan on leaving it open. To be honest this is a fairly old build log and I have plans to use the hardware in this for another project which will be better made than this one was.

Can't give too many hints as the ideas are still forming.

[mansueto]

In that case, best of luck and hope to see a log up soon!

[Monkey Puzzle]

Really nice work fitting everything in there.

One thing - how are the PCI cards held in position- looks like the back sockets from the gfx card poke through- are the cards unsupported, and where's the metal plate from the psu? Was going to try a similar thing myself with just slots for the pci card sockets to poke through, but gave up due to problems attaching and inserting the cards...